Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Posing at the Philadelphia Flower Show butterfly exhibit (March 2014). No sooner did I enter the room when a monarch landed on my flower printed sweater…and then a tiny winged beauty provided the perfect hair accessory!

I’ll bet you didn’t know that June 7th is National Butterfly Awareness Day! The main purpose of this day is to raise awareness of butterflies and their importance as pollinators and their place in nature. To accomplish the importance of this day, the first Saturday of June has been declared as National Butterfly Awareness Day by The Association for Butterflies.

The Association For Butterflies works for the wellbeing of butterflies through conservation, research, and promotion of butterfly gardening and butterfly farmers. This day is set aside for all people throughout the United States to celebrate butterflies through of a variety of activities, such as:

• Plant a butterfly garden to help attract these beautiful insects.• Make people more aware of butterflies and their importance as pollinators through local newspapers, TV stations and other media to help promote National Butterfly Awareness Day.• Releasing butterflies is a sound ecological way to help increase the population during the warm months.• Discourage the use of pesticides.• Learn the study of a butterfly’s life cycle and the word “butterfly” in different languages.• Raise few butterflies in the classroom or at the end of the school year.

We love butterflies here at Kathy Davis Studios, especially because the butterfly has become a symbol for our Scatter Joy brand promise. I can’t think of a more beautiful messenger to help us share our philosophy!

one:Product: Butterfly Prints Embellish your décor with some uplifting butterfly art and sentiment from Kathy Davis. Choose from these two unique prints that are sold in both our Gallery and online store. One Touch of Nature Print – click here.When you Scatter Joy Print – click here.

two: Butterfly Art: Anthropologie Window Displays Anthropologie is known for their beautiful window displays that become a showcase for artful installations. To help raise environmental awareness, every April they focus on something specific for Earth Day. This year they paid tribute to the monarch butterfly, whose annual migration is at risk of disappearing. Since we are celebrating butterflies this month, we thought a look back at these wonderful installations was in order! Check out their awesome displays and watch a behind the scenes video of the window transformations.

three: Joy with Family: The Butterfly House at Hershey GardensNow open until September 14th, explore the wonder of butterflies at the Butterfly House at Hershey Gardens in Hershey, Pennsylvania! Open daily from 9am–5pm, weather permitting, the Butterfly House features 350 to 400 butterflies that represent nearly 25 North American varieties. A great activity for the entire family to enjoy!

four:Kids Art: Chromatography Butterfly CraftBuggy and Buddy have a great tutorial for a science/art project that can be done with kids! Start off with their instructions on chromatography using coffee filters and markers. These colorful filters can then be used to create a butterfly craft!

five:Film: Flight of the Butterflies in 3D Experience the longest known insect migration on earth in 3D! Join hundreds of millions of real butterflies on an amazing journey to a remote and secret hideaway, and one scientist’s 40-year search to unravel the mystery—where do they go each fall? Visit the website for Flight of the Butterflies to check their listings for the closest showings.

six:Fashion: Jean Paul Gaultier – Spring 2014 Collection Butterflies are plentiful in Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring 2014 line! “Life is a butterfly! So all the collection is that!” he explained during a preview of his couture show. Check out the Vogue article for a look at his playful reinterpretations of the winged beauties.

seven:Charity: Butterfly Effect Tasha Wahl is a San Diego artist who hides handmade butterflies at random locations all around the world. Wahl then donates between $100 to $500 to the charity of the finder’s choice. The butterflies are theirs to keep, but the gifts they give to someone else are the molecules of change that will bring hope, rebirth, faith and love to the world. She started this project last year and so far she’s dropped 25 butterflies and donated $7,200 to 31 charities. Read an interview with Wahl here and check out her Facebook to follow her butterfly drops.

Mothers brighten the world with their smiles…
comfort with hugs and kind words…
heal with the gentlest of hands…
strengthen with good common sense…
listen with fair and open minds…
nurture with sweetness and caring…
and love with the warmest of hearts.
Happy Mothers Day!

Aren’t Moms the greatest? All through the year they’re on duty, providing care, wisdom and an endless supply of love. It almost seems impossible to fit all the gratitude we feel for them into just one Mother’s Day. Fortunately, our creative team is full of thoughtful ideas to make Mom feel truly appreciated. Below are our top ten ideas for how to treat your own Mom this Mother’s Day. How about you? How will you be celebrating this weekend?

1. Fresh Flowers: Either from your local florist, greenhouse or even backyard, they’re a perfect representation of just how lovely you think your mom is.

2. A Sweet, Meaningful gift: Maybe it’s a scarf she’s been eyeing, or little gift with special meaning – Moms will always appreciate the extra thought.

3. Cleaning Service: Have Mom prop up her feet while you do your fair share of household “chores.”

4. Sent from the Heart: Make a list of all the wonderful things that you love and appreciate about her and sign it with a great big thank you.

5. In the Garden: When the flowers are in full bloom, she’ll remember the fun times you spent planting them together.

It has been over two years since my mother left this good earth, but not a day goes by for me without memories of her gentle spirit, her good nature and all the loving lessons she left behind. Just in time for Mother’s Day, I’m pleased to share with you my new book “Love Blooms in a Mother’s Heart: A Celebration of Motherhood”. While I wrote the book to honor the memory of my own mother, it really speaks to all moms of every generation. I selected my favorite quotations and sayings about mothers, and surrounded each one with my watercolor art inspired by the garden. I hope this book will touch your heart and bring joy to the special mom—or moms—in your life!

I will be celebrating Mother’s Day this year with my kids and family, and no doubt we will be reminiscing about all the treasured times we shared with my mother through the years. Wishing all of you Moms a relaxing Mother’s Day filled with love, laughter and the warmest of memories.

one: Events: Mother’s Day BrunchSince Mother’s Day falls during such a beautiful time of year, why not treat Mom to brunch in the garden? Check out arboretums in your area, or entertain alfresco in your own backyard. Here are some wonderful options in our Philadelphia suburbs:

Take your mom to a delicious brunch at Longwood Gardens on Saturday, May 10th starting at 10am. They will have a Flute duo in The Conservatory from 12PM–3PM. Visit Longwood Gardens website for a full menu and for more information on how to buy tickets.

Here’s another option! Start your Mother’s Day right with a delicious brunch at the Morris Arboretum in their Compton Café. They have two seatings available—one at 10AM and one at 12PM. Afterwards, take a stroll as you enjoy all that spring has to offer at the Arboretum. Visit their website to preview the menu and for more information on how to purchase tickets.

two: Gifts: The Gift that Gives Back This Mother’s Day, when you shower your mom with all the love she deserves, you can also honor artisans all over the world! The Root Collective’s mission is to tackle poverty, control costs and to give back. They have some beautiful gift ideas for Mother’s Day and you get to learn about the artisan who made the products. As a customer, you can select the TRC non-profit partner who will receive a 10% donation from your purchase. Find some special pieces and handmade gifts for mom while knowing your dollars are supporting makers in growing economies.

three: Product: Mother’s Day Prints We’ve created a special selection of framed prints—some inspired by my new book, Love Blooms in a Mother’s Heart, and others with the theme of “home”—each with a hand lettered sentiment. They can be displayed individually or in groupings on a tabletop or mantel or hung on a wall. A great gift for moms of all ages!

four: Cards: Mother’s Day This Mother’s Day, why not show Mom some love Kathy Davis style? While I have some cards distributed at large chains and various drug stores, you can be sure to find a great assortment of Kathy Davis cards in our Gallery in Horsham.

five:Charity: Single Mom Enterprises Inc.As a former single mom while my own kids were young, I certainly recognize the importance of this organization. Single Mom Enterprises’ mission is to present single moms with opportunities to maximize success and reduce the stress of raising a family alone. They aim to provide financial, educational and emotional support. This foundation is devoted to providing the tools that moms will need for success, and to teach how to use those tools to yield the best results. To find out more about how you can donate, visit their website.

I’m so happy that my new book, Love Blooms in a Mother’s Heart: A Celebration of Motherhood, will be available in time for Mother’s Day. While I wrote it to honor the memory of my own mother, who will be forever in my heart, it really speaks to all moms of every generation. For this book, I selected my favorite quotations and sayings about mothers, and surrounded each one with my watercolor art inspired by the garden. I hope this book will touch your heart and bring joy to the special mom – or moms – in your life!

Now you can win an autographed copy! We will be accepting entries now thru May 5th. A winner will be chosen at random and sent an autographed copy of the book, just in time for Mother’s Day. CLICK HERE to enter!

We had a great day volunteering at the Jarrett Nature Center in Horsham, PA yesterday! It was a perfect day to be outside helping out and celebrating Earth Day. We mulched, we dug out weeds, and organized supplies. It was a feel good day!

Join us on Friday for our “Going Green” Eco-Art Show. 15% of the proceeds from all retail sales will be donated to the Jarrett Nature Center. Click here for more details.

April is here, with its promising signs of renewal! And this year, both Easter and Earth Day happen in April, so there’s plenty to celebrate. After the bitterly cold and grey winter we’re emerging from here in Pennsylvania, it’s fun to see all the wonderful sights that accompany springtime, Easter and Earth Day. Bunnies and chicks. Pastel Easter eggs. Graceful tulips and fragrant hyacinths. In fact, just the sight of new leaves on trees and grass turning green again is enough to lift my spirits!

Here in our Scatter Joy Gallery, we’re celebrating Earth Day with a special show called “Going Green,” which will feature our Studio designers’ own works of eco-conscious art. The show is all about art that’s inspired by – and at the same time, respectful of – the earth, and I can’t wait to see what our people will come up with.

Easter is also a time to renew our connections – with family and friends we care about. To help you do just that, our collection of Easter cards features uplifting messages and art. Our Easter palette is especially joyful and expressive – from the soft lavender, aqua, pink and green of decorated Easter eggs to the exuberance of sunny orange and yellow daffodils and daisies, from the delicate beauty of whisper pale butterfly wings to pristine pink and white apple blossoms. You’ll find our cards in any store that carries American Greetings cards and our local retail gallery.

Why not pick up a few greeting cards to let those special people know you’re thinking about them? Sharing the joys of the springtime season is a wonderful way to brighten someone’s day!

I’m so happy that my new book, Love Blooms in a Mother’s Heart: A Celebration of Motherhood, will be available in time for Mother’s Day. While I wrote it to honor the memory of my own mother, who will be forever in my heart, it really speaks to all moms of every generation. For this book, I selected my favorite quotations and sayings about mothers, and surrounded each one with my watercolor art inspired by the garden. I hope this book will touch your heart and bring joy to the special mom – or moms – in your life!

Easter is a holiday filled with promise. Somehow, even after a seemingly endless winter, spring arrives – and when it does, it’s hard to feel anything less than celebratory about it! A quick poll of our team revealed the shared joy we’re all feeling as this beautiful holiday approaches. Here are our top ten results – check them out below and feel free to share your favorite “Joyful Signs” of Easter, too!

1. Cheery Daffodils: Some of nature’s happiest flowers!

2. Jelly Beans: We’ll try just about all the flavors…except for maybe those licorice ones…

3. Marshmallow Peeps: An Easter classic that’s good by itself or on top of a little Rice Krispie “nest!”

4. Signs of New Life: Sweet little lambs, chicks and even “Easter bunnies” are all joyful signs of new life.

5. Budding Branches: There’s nothing quite like the sight of springtime trees when they dazzle us with their blossoming “Sunday best.”

6. Cadbury Eggs: It’s probably a good thing these come out once a year – we’re addicted!

7. Egg Hunt Treasures: Sometimes finding the eggs can be just as fun as coming up with new, sneaky places to hide them.

8. Family Brunch: We love the idea of dressing up the table with some fresh spring flowers and sweet Easter accents.

9. Egg Decorating: The perfect opportunity to unleash your inner artist. The possibilities are endless, but a simple pastel egg is pretty all on its own, too.

10. Pretty Spring Dresses: There’s just something so refreshing about trading in those itchy sweaters for some springy Easter dresses.

A hospital stay is a frightening experience for adults, and even more so for children. The mission of ConKerr Cancer is to ease the fears of hospitalized children across North America and make them feel special by providing them with cheerful, individually sewn pillow cases that brighten their hospital stay – and even give them a chance to learn to sew during hospitalization!

Driven by thousands of volunteers across the country and around the world, ConKerr Cancer has delivered more than 860,000 pillowcases in just seven years to hospitals throughout the country, creating “miles of pillowcase smiles” for the children and their parents. To support this organization’s efforts, Kathy Davis Studios recently donated 450 yards of Kathy’s fabric for ConKerr Cancer to use to create their awesome pillowcases for kids in hospitals. For more information on ConKerr Cancer or to get involved, visit http://www.conkerrcancer.org.

Our upcoming exhibit is a celebration of Earth Day, featuring inspirational posters and artwork made from recycled materials.

The contributing artists will be both Kathy Davis company members as well as students from the Hatboro-Horsham High art department. This is our first opportunity to unite the original work of our designers with the remarkable talents of our local High School student artists.

The opening reception for this exhibit is scheduled for Friday evening, April 25 from 5 to 7pm. Please join us for interesting artwork, light refreshments, and a chance to meet and support our local artists.

This ‘Going Green” show will be on exhibit from April 25 through May 28, 2014.

Also, while visiting our opening reception, take the opportunity to shop at the Kathy Davis Gallery, a very unique gift store. A portion of proceeds from all sales this evening will be donated to the Jarrett Nature Center. With Mother’s Day right around the corner, this will be a great time to find a special gift and also support our local nature center.

I’m so happy that my new book, Love Blooms in a Mother’s Heart: A Celebration of Motherhood, will be available in time for Mother’s Day. While I wrote it to honor the memory of my own mother, who will be forever in my heart, it really speaks to all moms of every generation. For this book, I selected my favorite quotations and sayings about mothers, and surrounded each one with my watercolor art inspired by the garden. I hope this book will touch your heart and bring joy to the special mom – or moms – in your life!